


Understanding

by eerian_sadow



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Character Study, F/M, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-26
Updated: 2011-07-26
Packaged: 2017-10-21 19:32:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/228939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes a quiet night with friends is all you need.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Understanding

It was such a silly thing, and really it drew too much attention to them when they all knew Glory was out looking for the Key, but Dawn was still so shaken up about their mom’s brain tumor that Buffy had given in to Spike’s crazy idea. She wanted to do whatever she could to take that worried, scared look off her little sister’s face, even if Dawn wasn’t really her sister.

Spike had, as promised, brought the firewood and marshmallows. Buffy had started the bonfire in the back yard with Willow’s help. Tara had brought the chocolate and Xander the graham crackers. Anya had displayed an amazing amount of thoughtfulness and brought soda. Giles had hauled the sleeping bags out of the basement under her mom’s supervision. Her mother had simply brought herself and some paper napkins and that had been enough.

Buffy couldn’t remember the last time she had seen Dawn so happy, even if the memories weren’t real.

Giles had escorted her mom back inside hours ago, before Xander and Anya left and Willow and Tara fell asleep by the fire. Dawn was cuddled against Spike’s side, half in her sleeping bag and, for once, Buffy couldn’t find it in her to be angry that her sister was hanging on the vampire.

Spike gave her a shy grin when he caught her gaze across the fire. “I’ll put her on the ground if you want.”

“No, its fine.” The Slayer shook her head, wondering when she had decided that she could actually _trust_ the vampire. “I think she feels safer with you.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll feel safer when Glory’s gone.”

The silence stretched out between them. It wasn’t awkward for a change, and she decided to enjoy it while it lasted. Spike used the quiet to skewer a marshmallow and hold it over the fire. When it was the perfect shade of brown, just before it caught on fire, he pulled it back and put it between the chocolate and graham crackers.

She took it when he held it out to her.

“I thought I’d been punched when you said your mum had that tumor,” he said quietly. “I like Joyce, you know. She was there when I needed her and she didn’t hate me, even though I’d tried to kill you a couple times. I though… I was afraid I wouldn’t get to say goodbye to her.”

“What are you trying to say, Spike?” Buffy took a bite of the s’more so she wouldn’t make an ass of herself by running off at the mouth the way she usually did.

“That I’m glad your mum’s all right. And that I meant it when I asked what I could do to help that night.”

“Mom likes you too,” she finally replied, looking through the flames at him. “And this helps. I think maybe I needed it as much as Dawn.”

Buffy didn’t say “thank you” and Spike didn’t say “you’re welcome”. It was understood when she crawled around the fire to sit next to him and he put his coat around her shoulders to ward off a chill that was more fear and uncertainty than actual cold.


End file.
